Guest John Hinton Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 We have just booked a place on the Eurotunnel for the 1st June to return on the 14th. We used the CC travel service and they did it for £100.00 return which we both thought was quite reasonable. We intend to see as much of Britanny as we possibly can, taking in Honfleur and St. Malo on the way. We only collected our van (Elnagh Clipper 90) at the end of October and all we have done so far is spend weekends at mostly CC sites in and around the Cotswolds. Pleasurable though this is, Pat and myself are looking forward to venturing further afield. We are both quite nervous about this because motorhoming is still quite new to us and the thought of driving off the train at Calais gives me a special warmth, mainly in my trousers. Anyway, the reason for posting this message is to ask the advise of all of you who have been going to France for years and have got the full set of tee shirts. All being well, we will arrive in Calais at 09.33 on the 1st June and plan to spend one or two nights in Honfleur and then on to St. Malo. We intend to carry on in to Brittany after that but we haven't decided exactly where yet. We both would be very grateful for any advise with regard to routes and sites etc. We obviously would prefer not to pay toll charges if we can get away with it but we will gladly pay them if we had to travel miles and miles to avoid them. The sites we will be looking for don't have to be top of the range but it would be nice to have electricity, toilets and showers and if possible, be within walking distance of a village or town. We have heard that Municipal sites are good value but we have no idea, if there are many of them available. Another thing we would like advise on is the prospect of being gassed. Pat is really worried about this and I would like to hear other peoples opinions. I don't think it's as widespread as the gas alarm manufacturers would have us believe but I can only go on what I have read in the Motorhome magazines. We have had a Strikeback T alarm fitted to the van but will this be sufficient or have we got to shell out another £125.00 for a gas alarm? Thanks and best regards, John & Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mel B Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Can't advise on Brittany I'm afraid as we haven't been yet but suggest you get your hands on the ACSI card - search for previous postings putting 'ACSI' (without quotes) in the search - you'll save a heck of a lot of money and the sites are usually very good value for money. As for gassing - do a search on the forum for gas attacks or similar words and you'll get some previous postings popping up for you to read. From what I can gleam the only gas attacks that 'may' have taken place were probably to lorry drivers in their small cabs. The consensus seems to be that to use gassing as a way of rendering the occupants of a motorhome unconscious is very unlikely indeed. Just be sensible where you park - don't use motorways aires for overnighting, they are fine for the daytime though for lunch etc breaks but just use your common sense. Most of all - enjoy yourself and make sure you hit the Auchan supermarket on the way back on the outskirts of Calais - allow a couple of hours at least to stock up on cheap wine etc! We bought a couple of mountain bikes when we were last there for 89 euros each!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wendy Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 We use the Caravan Club 'Caravan Europe vol 1' campsite guide and the Michelin campsite guide. We have always managed to find sites in the right places with these. Campsites are usually well signed in the towns and the municipals in the small places are really good value for money. We never book sites in advance and have had no trouble getting in. We do travel outside the peak times. We have always felt very safe in France, but we are careful about locking doors etc. Also we would never stop on motorway aires overnight, but daytime stops are OK in our opinion. If we don't feel completely happy with the carpark we take it in turns to visit the shop and/or toilets. Enjoy your trip - France is fantastic for camping and once you've been, you'll keep going back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ray Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Touring Brittany in June should be very easy, its unfortunate that you only have 14days to explore, we spent 14weeks travelling around the coast and had a wonderful time. You will find plenty of sites at that time of the year although some will still be closed. Get a copy of the aires de service guide as there are lots of very attractive places to park overnight plus wild camping adjacent to beaches and harbours. you will be in company with lots of other motorhomes, just be considerate of residents when you park and you will be made welcome. Enjoy yourself Thelma and Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 If you obtain an AA road atlas of France you'll find the toll-roads are very easy to identify. (We use the 1" = 4.4miles AA atlas for route planning and the traditional, larger scale 1cm = 2km Michelin atlas for 'close-up' travel - but that's a personal preference.) You may be better off opting to pay toll charges by using the A29/E44 (which leads directly to the Pont de Normandie and thence to Honfleur) as the N29/N15 route is tortuous. There were some serious road-works in progress on the N15 when I drove it last September, but I don't know whether they will have been completed by June. Getting from Honfleur to Caen should be OK using non-Autoroute roads and the excellent A84 from Caen to Avranches is toll-free. Once you are into Brittany there are no road-tolls (yet!) and many of the main Routes Nationales are built to motorway standard. I shan't attempt to suggest campsites to you as we seldom use them. However, in June, there will be an abundance of sites open and pre-booking should be unnecessary. My experience of smaller French sites (including municipals) is that there is a tendency for them to be "caravan specific". By that I mean there may be no dedicated waste-water tank emptying points and water taps may only be at the toilet block. This is OK for caravanners using portable fresh- and waste-water containers, but less convenient for motorhomers. It's not really a problem in Brittany as there are many motorhome Aires de Services where waste can be emptied and fresh-water obtained. I suggest you visit the French website www.campingcar-infos.com as this carries current information on most 'aires' and on an (albeit limited) selection of campsites offering motorhome-friendly waste/water facilities. Local tourist offices will invariably have regional and local information booklets detailing campsites. As has been said earlier, common sense should be the watchword when it comes to security. If the spectre of being 'gassed' concerns your wife then don't overnight anywhere other than on a fully operational campsite. There is little point enduring anxious sleepless nights just to save a few euros - if the campsite looks active, well run and secure then you should have absolutely no security problems. It may be worth adding that, although I've read reports about gas-attacks, I've never read one saying it happened on a campsite. Gassing-scares or not, I believe the potential risks involved in overnight parking (off-campsite or on) of a motorhome in France are no different to those in the UK. (I once met a UK motorcaravanning couple at the Baltic Wharf CC site in Bristol. The man said his wife refused to stay on rural CL sites because she judged them too risky - this was in Bristol, for heaven's sake, hardly Utopia when it comes to drugs and crime!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MikeT Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 John, Honfleur is well worth a visit - there is aire on the opposite side of the river from the main part of the town - has well over 100 spaces for overnight (7 euros inc water / dump / hook up (limited numbers))and a separate area for daytime parking at 4 euros. It's a safe spot only 10 minutes walk to the harbour & all the restauants / shops & pretty buildings. Very touristy, but some excellent restauants, good value as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MIke E Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Firstly on gassing. That is in my view nonsense. Anaethstatists have commented that it is virtually impossible for anyone to inject the correct amount of gas into a van without killing them. There have been no reports of deaths. And the cost of the gas is so prohibitive that such a crime would not be cost effective. I could go on and on. I have also spoken to well travelled lorry drivers who have heard similar scares but agree these so called crimes are completely without substance. Turning to possible destinations. If you are interested in Aires I can personally recommend these: Mount St Michael-cost about 8 euros where you will park with about 100 other motorhomes. Not an official Aire but a legitimate overnight parking place in front of the town. Erquy. Cost 4 euros. Fabulous beach with the cleanest see in France. You can legimately park in motorhome park (Pay and Display)directly opposite beach and within walking distance of nice town. Water and waste facilities on tap. St Pol De Leon close to Roscoff. Nice area ( Cost Nil) directly in front of sea and within walking distance of town. Waste and water available nearby. Plougenvelin. Headland Aire with electric: Cost 4 euros. Nice walk to beach and Napoleonic fort. Concarneau. Park opposite Ferry into walled Town. Cost Nil. Other motorhomes present. Very safe. Further information on all of the above sites can be found on www.campinginfos.com. All of the above afford very easy access If you do not fancy Aires then the ACSI card as previously mentioned affords fantastic value for money with sites priced in 2006 at 10, 12 and 14 euros per night. Go to www.campingcard.co.uk. I should add that I've been camping, caravanning and motorhoming all over Europe since my student days in 1971 without any hint of a problem. We've slept on beaches, wildcamped and stayed in some very remote and dark places. The only places I am hesitant about are Autoroute Aires where there appear to be some credence to reports of theft. Please bear in mind this response is designed to be helpful to you and is not intended to reopen endless debates about gassing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest martin Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Concur vis a vis Concarneau - delightful ... and do check when the folk music festival is (about then)and don't miss it if it's your thing. Also nearby is Pont Aven if you're into art - there's a superb aire 'cept it is on a hillside so remember to sleep head up hill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Last year we took our French break with the motorhome earlier than our normal Aug/Sept and went in June. We had planned to spend the first week in Northern France for a change then wander down to the south afterwards. But in June it was just too cold and wet so we kept going south until the sun came out, ended up in Agde after spending a week near Millau. We ventured through Britany 3 weeks later and it was a bit warmer but not what this sun lover would call sit outside weather. Most camping Municipal sites are good VFM. When in France do as the French do and leave Guinness, eggs and bacon until you return home. Bon Voyage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John Hinton Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Thank you all for your invaluable information. I've read a lot of guide books and magazines but I think that people with hands on experience, always give the best advise. I look forward to the time when we can spend more than 14 days away. Only 6 years, 4 months and 14 days to go and counting. Thanks & best regards, John & Pat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alan Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I live in Brittany and I'm sure you will have a good time.June is a good time to visit and is much less crowded than July/Aug. Put any worries about gasing out of your mind.Brittany is relatively crime free and indeed most people in the rural areas don't lock their doors! Providing you park with some consideration you can park for the night almost anywhere.Village squares are always a good place but don't gt trapped by market stalls in the small hours.Honfleaur is in Normandy and as I recall there is an enormous aire on the rhs as you come in. Bonne voyage and bonne vacance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevandali Posted June 29, 2006 Share Posted June 29, 2006 Hi John How did it go in Britttany? Did you come across any places that you will definitely be re visiting next time? Aires, campsites, restaurants etc We are off in a fortnight, it would be nice to hear how you got on cheers Kevandali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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